


Snowflake of Africa

by TerresDeBrume



Series: AUs without a cause [14]
Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Big cat, Cheetah can actually be accustomed to domestic life, Gen, I still wouldn't recommend imitating Tom there, Unusual pet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:31:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerresDeBrume/pseuds/TerresDeBrume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No, really, bringing pets was so not on the list for that trip. Especially not that kind of pet.</p><p>Losely related to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/459532"><i>Road Trip</i></a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snowflake of Africa

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 4 of the 30 Days writing challenge: Snowflake.  
> Idk, I was thinking of Tom with cats and then this happened.

“Please tell me you’re joking.”  
  
Tom finally seems to hear the weariness in Ben’s voice and he turns his gaze toward him, big blue-green-brown eyes looking at him with a surprise that would look ridiculous on anyone else.  
  
“I think it’s a nice name. It’s funny.”  
“For a white  _kitten_ , Tom!”  
  
It’s pathetic, really, the situation they got themselves in. Benedict has spent the past week trying to remember how they got there -he thinks there was a phone call, a fight, and then someone -most likely him- decided abandoning their European tour in favor of a holiday in Africa would be a good idea.  
  
Of course, he couldn’t have anticipated the cheetah.  
  
“He has white spots,” Tom insists, “it fits.”  
  
They found it next to he track when their motor broke down in the middle of nowhere, a pitiful thing mewling so feebly Ben didn’t even hear it.  
It was Tom who went into the bushes while Ben fixed what he could of the car, and by the time their vehicle was ready to go, Tom had come back with the biggest cat Ben had ever seen, all skin and bones and plaintive whines, and it wasn’t until Tom had started feeding him dehydrated milk with an imbibed towel that Ben had found his brain back and realized what it was they’d taken in exactly… But by then, obviously, they were driving and it was too late to protest.  
  
“You know,” Tom is saying now, “Cheetahs are the only big feline you can actually domesticate and train to live in a house.” His face is speculative, his voice absent, and Ben protests immediately:  
“We are  _not_  bringing it back in England!”  
“Alright, we’re not!” Tom says, annoyed. “I get it Dad.”  
“Now come on mate, I’m not your dad and you know that but can you imagine living with that back home? You’d be away at your theatre school and never see it! And I doubt your parents would be happy about having a cat that size.”  
“But you agree he’s a cat,” Tom grins cheekily, and Ben glances at the little beast curled up in Tom’s lap, purring as its back gets a thorough scratching.  
“Don’t twist my words,” Ben mutters, and Tom grins.  
  


**{ooo}**

  
  
They fight about the cat again when they reach the next hotel and Tom refuses to leave it alone in the car.  
  
“What if someone steals him away during the night?” Tom protests, earnest gaze full of reproach.  
“We don’t have the means to have the hotel accept him,” Ben repeats, “And we are not sleeping in the car!”  
“Speak for yourself!” Tom says before he stalks away, Snowflake purring away on his shoulder, as if he’d understood everything and tried to mock Benedict and his weak common sense.  
  


{ooo}

  
  
“Oh shut up,” Ben says when Tom’s face splits into a grin as he struggles to reach the opening mechanism on the driver’s door without disturbing the little beast asleep on his lap.  
  
 _Benedict,_  Ben thinks,  _you are an idiot._  
  
In the rear view mirror, Tom is already going back to sleep with a smug smile on his stupid little face, and Ben doesn’t have much choice but to sigh, lock the doors and recline in he driver’s seat.  
  
Somehow, he feels like he’s just accepted a lot more than just having a big kitten sitting next to him in a car for a few days.  
  


**{ooo}**

  
  
“No.”  
“C’mon Ben look at his face! He’ll be heartbroken if we leave him like this!”  
“It’s a bloody cat, Tom!” Ben protests, headache pounding against his temple, “You’ll find another one in London!”  
“As if it were so easy!” Tom retorts. “I nursed him, Ben, try to put yourself in my shoes! He’s a good beast, and there’s no way I’ll get that bond with another animal. You know I’ve got all the paperwork done all I need is for you to agree to share the car with him for a few days more. Please.”  
  
Ben scolds as hard as he can manage, but then Tom pushes his lower lip out in a pout so ridiculous Ben can’t help but snort, even though he knows this is probably his downfall.  
  


**{ooo}**

  
  
Years later, Snowflake is almost as much of a star as his master, and when Ben has to do an interview with Tom for the promotion of  _War Horse_ , he gets asked if it’s true he could have made it so that Mr. Hiddleston didn’t have his infamous pet with him.  
  
Benedict thinks back on Tom’s look then, baby-round face and childish blue eyes with blonde curls springing every which way and a few pillow creases on his cheek, and he sighs.  
  
“What do you want,” he admits, “I am a weak, weak man.”  
  
(Snowflake headbutts his left shin and Tom laughs, a hand on Ben’s shoulder.  
  
“That’s why he’s alway liked you,” Tom chuckles, and the brush of his fingers against Ben’s neck says ‘I rather like you too’.  
  
Ben thinks all in all, things could have been a lot worse.)


End file.
